Forms: 5–7 iulep, -lip, 6 iulepe, -lepp, 6–7 -leb, -lap, 7 jewlep, -lip, julipe, -loup, 7–8 julip, -lap, 7– julep. [f. F. julep (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), in Pr. julep, Sp. and Pg. julepe, It. giulebbe, giulebbo, med.L. julapium, ad. Arab. julāb, a. Pers gul-āb rose-water, f. gul rose + āb water.]
1. A sweet drink prepared in different ways; often, simply a liquid sweetened with syrup or sugar, and used as a vehicle for medicine; sometimes, a medicated drink used as a demulcent, ‘comforting,’ or gently stimulating mixture.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 76. To ȝeue him in þe bigynnynge Iulep—þat is a sirup maad oonly of water & of sugre.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., V. ii. 163. Vse them with a iuleb of vyolettes.
c. 1550. Lloyd, Treas. Health (1585), F ij. Iuleb is a cleare potyon made of dyuerse waters and suger.
1597–8. Bp. Hall, Sat., II. iv. 27. The wholesome julap, whose receat Might his diseases lingring force defeat.
1619. S. Jerome, Origen’s Repent., in Farr, S. P. Jas. I. (1848), 245. It surmounts all juloups.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Hum. Lieut. II. ii. The gentleman no doubt will fall to his jewlips.
1673. E. Brown, Trav. Germ., etc. (1677), 152. We drank frozen Julebs.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 174, ¶ 3. Gruels and Julips.
1754–64. Smellie, Midwif., II. 180. By this julap a slight fever was produced.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 679. Cordial Julep … Expectorating Julep … Musk Julep.
1859. W. S. Coleman, Woodlands (1866), 62. A very soft well-flavoured pleasant saccharine julep.
b. transf. and fig. Something to cool or assuage the heat of passion, etc.
1624. Massinger, Parl. Love, III. i. She is no fit electuary for a doctor: A coarser julap may well cool his worship.
1652. T. Philpot, Commend. Verses Benlowes’ Theoph. These pages do dispence A Julep, which so charms the Itch of sense That [etc.].
1659. W. Chamberlayne, Pharonnida, III. 237 (N.), Whose heat, not all The Jewleps of their Tears [could quench].
2. U.S. A mixture of brandy, whisky, or other spirit, with sugar and ice and some flavoring, usually mint.
1804. Europ. Mag., XLV. 18/1. The first thing he did on getting out of bed was to call for a Julep; and I honestly date my own love of whiskey from mixing and tasting my young master’s juleps.
1845. De Quincey, Nat. Temper. Movem., Wks. 1862, XI. 172. An appetite for brandy, for slings, for juleps.
1891. B. Harte, Family Tasajara, II. 48. A dusty drive with a julep at the end of it.
Comb. 1859. Cornwallis, New World, I. 76. San Francisco was all bustle and illumination, with glittering bars filled with julep-drinkers.
